Madison Village voters to decide police levy in May

Madison Village voters will decide the fate of a police levy in a special election May 7.

Village Council voted 7-0 Monday night to place a 3.8-mill continuing levy on the ballot for police equipment and services.

That levy, which would raise about $240,500 annually, aims to reduce pressure on the village's ever-tightening general fund budget.

Currently, the general fund covers virtually all of the police department's budget, which totals about $670,000 a year.

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"We can no longer continue to subsidize the police department 100 percent and maintain the same level of police coverage," Councilman John Hamercheck said.

The village budget has been hit hard by state cuts in local government funds, Hamercheck said.

"We have less than half of the local government funds we had three years ago," he said.

The village police department consists of Chief Dawn Shannon, four full-time, 13 part-time and two auxiliary officers; a school crossing guard; and a full-time and part-time clerk.

If the levy is approved, it would cost Madison property owners $116.38 annually per $100,000 in property valuation, according to the Lake County Auditor's Office.

Because there is no regular primary on May 7, Madison's police levy would go on a special election ballot. It's likely to cost the village between $3,000 and $4,000 for the special election, Fiscal Officer Tony Long said.

The only way that cost could be reduced is if another entity in Madison -- such as the Madison School District -- put an issue on the same ballot. Then the costs would be shared.

The deadline to submit ballot issues for the May 7 special election is Wednesday.

On Thursday, the Lake County Elections Board will meet to approve or reject issues filed for the special election.

As of the November general election -- the last time voter registration figures were updated -- Madison Village had 2,145 registered voters, according to the Lake County Elections Board.

The village voters who turn out May 7 can make their preferences known regarding the police department, Hamercheck said.

"We're giving the public the option -- do they want to maintain the same level of police services? What do they want to do?" he said.